The FBI has warned that criminals are impersonating staff at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to scam victims a second time.
Newsweek has contacted the FBI for more information via email.
Why It Matters
The impersonation of legitimate law enforcement agencies, especially those involved in fraud prevention, is an escalation in cybercrime tactics. By leveraging the authority and trust associated with the FBI, scammers are preying on emotionally and financially vulnerable individuals, and targeting people who have already proven susceptible to being victims of fraud.
What To Know
Criminals have begun impersonating officials from the FBI's IC3 in a series of attacks targeting those who have already been defrauded, the agency warned in a public service announcement issued on April 18.
From December 2023 through February 2025, the FBI received over 100 reports of scammers falsely presenting themselves as IC3 agents.
In many cases, the fraudsters claimed to have recovered victims' previously lost funds, only to use this promise as leverage to solicit sensitive information or payments, hitting individuals already targeted by financial scams.
In the statement, the FBI said: "Some individuals received an email or a phone call, while others were approached via social media or forums.
"Almost all complainants indicated the scammers claimed to have recovered the victim's lost funds or offered to assist in recovering funds. However, the claim is a ruse to revictimize those who have already lost money to scams."
In one recent variation, scammers posed as victims themselves in social media groups for those affected by fraud. They used fabricated female personas to gain trust and then directed targets to a supposed IC3 official named "Jaime Quin" on Telegram.
Once contact was made, "Quin" claimed to have recovered their funds, asking for personal information which was then used for further scams.
What People Are Saying
In their advice to the public, the FBI said: "The IC3 will never directly communicate with individuals via phone, email, social media, phone apps, or public forums. If further information is needed, individuals will be contacted by FBI employees from local field offices or other law-enforcement officers.
"Scammers will change aliases and tactics; however, the scheme generally remains the same. Never share sensitive information with people you have met only online or over the phone.
"The IC3 will not ask for payment to recover lost funds, nor will they refer a victim to a company requesting payment for recovering funds. Do not send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other assets to people you do not know or have met only online or over the phone."
What Happens Next
The FBI is continuing to counter the scammers with public advice and cybersecurity developments. However, the easiest way to avoid scammers is to be aware of their techniques.